Changes in teachers' smoking behaviour following enforcement of a total smoke-free school policy

Abstract

Tobacco smoking among workers remains a major public health issue. One effective approach to encourage smokers to quit or reduce smoking is to make workplaces smokefree. The Health Promotion Law of Japan, which came into force in 2002, put the managers of public facilities e including restaurants, cafes, public transportation, schools and offices e under the obligation to control secondhand smoke. In accordance with this legislation, the Nara City Government implemented a total smoke-free school policy in all municipal schools in April 2007. Taking this opportunity, questionnaire surveys were conducted for all teachers working in the municipal schools in Nara City before and after implementation of the policy. The authors have previously reported baseline smoking behaviour and attitudes towards the smoke-free school policy, and changes in the health-related quality of life among teachers following